US8907116B2 - Process for removing an alkanol impurity from a dialkyl carbonate stream - Google Patents

Process for removing an alkanol impurity from a dialkyl carbonate stream Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US8907116B2
US8907116B2 US13/390,124 US201013390124A US8907116B2 US 8907116 B2 US8907116 B2 US 8907116B2 US 201013390124 A US201013390124 A US 201013390124A US 8907116 B2 US8907116 B2 US 8907116B2
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
carbonate
alkanol
dialkyl carbonate
impurity
aryl group
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active, expires
Application number
US13/390,124
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
US20120226065A1 (en
Inventor
Cyrille Paul Allais
Garo Garbis Vaporciyan
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Shell USA Inc
Original Assignee
Shell Oil Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Shell Oil Co filed Critical Shell Oil Co
Assigned to SHELL OIL COMPANY reassignment SHELL OIL COMPANY ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: VAPORCIYAN, GARO GARBIS, ALLAIS, CYRILLE PAUL
Publication of US20120226065A1 publication Critical patent/US20120226065A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US8907116B2 publication Critical patent/US8907116B2/en
Assigned to SHELL USA, INC. reassignment SHELL USA, INC. CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: SHELL OIL COMPANY
Active legal-status Critical Current
Adjusted expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07CACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
    • C07C67/00Preparation of carboxylic acid esters
    • C07C67/03Preparation of carboxylic acid esters by reacting an ester group with a hydroxy group
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07CACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
    • C07C68/00Preparation of esters of carbonic or haloformic acids
    • C07C68/06Preparation of esters of carbonic or haloformic acids from organic carbonates
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07CACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
    • C07C68/00Preparation of esters of carbonic or haloformic acids
    • C07C68/08Purification; Separation; Stabilisation
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07CACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
    • C07C69/00Esters of carboxylic acids; Esters of carbonic or haloformic acids
    • C07C69/76Esters of carboxylic acids having a carboxyl group bound to a carbon atom of a six-membered aromatic ring
    • C07C69/84Esters of carboxylic acids having a carboxyl group bound to a carbon atom of a six-membered aromatic ring of monocyclic hydroxy carboxylic acids, the hydroxy groups and the carboxyl groups of which are bound to carbon atoms of a six-membered aromatic ring
    • C07C69/86Esters of carboxylic acids having a carboxyl group bound to a carbon atom of a six-membered aromatic ring of monocyclic hydroxy carboxylic acids, the hydroxy groups and the carboxyl groups of which are bound to carbon atoms of a six-membered aromatic ring with esterified hydroxyl groups
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07CACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
    • C07C69/00Esters of carboxylic acids; Esters of carbonic or haloformic acids
    • C07C69/96Esters of carbonic or haloformic acids

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a process for removing an alkanol impurity from a stream containing a dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity.
  • Dialkyl carbonates can be produced by reaction of alkylene carbonate with alkanol. Where alkylene carbonate (such as ethylene carbonate) is reacted with alkanol (such as ethanol), the products are dialkyl carbonate (such as diethyl carbonate) and alkanediol (such as monoethylene glycol).
  • alkanol such as ethanol
  • dialkyl carbonate such as diethyl carbonate
  • alkanediol such as monoethylene glycol
  • An example of an alkanol impurity that may be contained in a dialkyl carbonate stream is an ether alkanol, for example an alkoxy alkanol.
  • JP2003300917 and JP2002371037 relate to processes wherein dimethyl carbonate and monoethylene glycol are made from ethylene carbonate and methanol and wherein 2-methoxyethanol is formed as a by-product. In the inventions of JP2003300917 and JP2002371037, said 2-methoxyethanol is removed by specific distillation techniques.
  • a side-reaction of ethanol with ethylene oxide formed by back-reaction of ethylene carbonate into ethylene oxide and carbon dioxide, into 2-ethoxyethanol (ethyl oxitol) may take place.
  • ethyl oxitol may be formed by a side-reaction of ethanol with ethylene carbonate in such a way that carbon dioxide is released and ethyl oxitol is produced.
  • a side-reaction between ethanol and monoethylene glycol may take place producing ethyl oxitol and water.
  • ethyl oxitol may be formed via decarboxylation of hydroxyethyl ethyl carbonate.
  • the product stream from a reactor where ethanol and ethylene carbonate are reacted into diethyl carbonate and monoethylene glycol may comprise unconverted ethanol, unconverted ethylene carbonate, diethyl carbonate, monoethylene glycol and the above-mentioned ethyl oxitol impurity.
  • the presence of said alkoxy alkanol impurity may be detrimental in any subsequent production process.
  • Said alkoxy alkanol impurity may for example end up in the dialkyl carbonate that is used as a starting material for the synthesis of diphenyl carbonate from said dialkyl carbonate and phenol.
  • dialkyl carbonate is diethyl carbonate and the alkoxy alkanol impurity is ethyl oxitol
  • said ethyl oxitol may react with the phenol starting material and/or with the diphenyl carbonate product.
  • Alkoxy alkanols (such as ethyl oxitol) are neither good leaving groups. Therefore, in case phenyl 2-ethoxyethyl carbonate is present in a diphenyl carbonate feed to be reacted with BPA, phenol will be released easily from said phenyl 2-ethoxyethyl carbonate but not ethyl oxitol which will consequently stop the polymerization process at one end of the chain. Consequently, phenyl 2-ethoxyethyl carbonate has to be removed from diphenyl carbonate before the latter is contacted with BPA.
  • the product stream also containing unconverted ethanol and ethylene carbonate and ethyl oxitol side-product may be separated by means of distillation.
  • the boiling points for the various components in said product stream are mentioned in the table below.
  • the distillation as referred to above may result in a top stream containing diethyl carbonate and unconverted ethanol and a bottom stream containing monoethylene glycol and unconverted ethylene carbonate. Most likely, all of the ethyl oxitol ends up in the top stream. However, depending on the specific conditions under which distillation is carried out, part of the ethyl oxitol may end up in the bottom stream. Subsequently, said top stream may be further separated by means of distillation into a top stream containing unconverted ethanol which can be recycled to the reactor where diethyl carbonate and monoethylene glycol are produced, and a bottom stream containing diethyl carbonate and the ethyl oxitol impurity.
  • the alkanol impurity has to be removed therefrom as that might interfere said subsequent process and/or any further processes.
  • ethyl oxitol and diethyl carbonate could be separated by means of a further distillation step.
  • such separation is very cumbersome requiring many distillation steps and stages. Therefore, there is a need to find a simple method of removing an alkanol impurity from a dialkyl carbonate stream containing such alkanol impurity.
  • the present invention relates to a process for removing an alkanol impurity from a stream containing a dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity, comprising contacting the stream with an aryl group containing ester and a catalyst to effect reaction of the alkanol impurity with the aryl group containing ester.
  • the alkanol impurity should be removed from the dialkyl carbonate stream before the dialkyl carbonate is used as a starting material in any subsequent process, for example before the dialkyl carbonate is reacted with phenol in the synthesis of diphenyl carbonate.
  • the aryl group containing ester contains one or more ester moieties of formula —(C ⁇ O)O—.
  • a specific example of such ester moiety is a carbonate moiety of formula —O(C ⁇ O)O—.
  • the aryl group containing ester contains one or more aryl groups.
  • the aryl group or at least one of the aryl groups may be attached directly to the non-carbonyl oxygen atom of an ester moiety of formula —(C ⁇ O)O— through one of the carbon atoms which constitute the aromatic ring of the aryl group.
  • R 4 or R 5 is an aryl group, the other group being an alkyl group, or both R 4 and R 5 are aryl groups.
  • both R 4 and R 5 are aryl groups.
  • the aryl group is a phenyl group.
  • the aryl group may be unsubstituted or substituted by an alkyl group, a heteroatom containing group such as a hydroxyl group, or a carbonyl group such as the carbonyl group from another ester moiety.
  • Suitable aryl group containing carbonates for reaction with the alkanol impurity in the present process are ethyl phenyl carbonate (EPC) and diphenyl carbonate (DPC).
  • EPC ethyl phenyl carbonate
  • DPC diphenyl carbonate
  • the aryl group containing ester is DPC.
  • R′′ is an aryl group
  • R′ may be an alkyl group or an aryl group.
  • both R′ and R′′ are aryl groups.
  • the aryl group may be unsubstituted or substituted by an alkyl group, a heteroatom containing group such as a hydroxyl group, or a carbonyl group such as the carbonyl group from another ester moiety.
  • R′′ is a phenyl group.
  • R′ is a phenyl group substituted by a hydroxyl group at a position ortho with respect to the carbonyl group of the ester moiety.
  • Phenyl salicylate can be formed by internal rearrangement of DPC in a side-reaction during the production of DPC from a dialkyl carbonate and phenol and/or during purification of crude DPC.
  • Aryl group containing esters which are phenyl salicylate derivatives are also suitable for reaction with the alkanol impurity in the present process.
  • Such phenyl salicylate derivatives are shown in the reaction scheme below:
  • the phenyl salicylate derivatives shown in the above reaction scheme contain 2, 3 or more ester moieties of formulas —(C ⁇ O)O— and/or —O(C ⁇ O)O— and 1, 2 or more phenyl bridges between different ester moieties. These derivatives may have originated, directly or indirectly, from reaction of phenyl salicylate with itself, said phenyl salicylate being both an alcohol and an ester, or from reaction of phenyl salicylate with DPC, which reactions are shown in the above reaction scheme.
  • Suitable phenyl salicylate derivatives are those wherein the hydroxyl group of phenyl salicylate is replaced by an alkoxide group —OR wherein R is an alkyl group, for example a methyl or an ethyl group.
  • the dialkyl carbonate in the stream from which the alkanol impurity has to be removed in accordance with the present invention may be a di(C 1 -C 5 )alkyl carbonate, wherein the alkyl groups (straight, branched and/or cyclic) may be the same or different, such as methyl, ethyl and propyl.
  • the dialkyl carbonate is diethyl carbonate.
  • the alkanol impurity which has to be removed from the stream containing the dialkyl carbonate and said impurity in accordance with the present invention may be an ether alkanol, more specifically an alkoxy alkanol, most specifically 2-ethoxyethanol, as described above.
  • the amount of the alkanol impurity in the stream containing the dialkyl carbonate and said impurity may be comprised in the range of from 0.1 to 10 wt. %, specifically 0.3 to 8 wt. %, more specifically 0.5 to 6 wt. % and most specifically 0.5 to 5 wt. %.
  • the reaction of the alkanol impurity with the aryl group containing ester in the presence of a catalyst in accordance with the present invention results in transesterification of the aryl group containing ester. Therefore, the catalyst that needs to be used in the process of the present invention should be a transesterification catalyst.
  • the stream containing a dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity does not contain a catalyst. More in particular, said stream does not contain a transesterification catalyst before the present invention is carried out.
  • the transesterification catalyst to be added in the present invention may be one of many suitable homogeneous and heterogeneous transesterification catalysts known from prior art.
  • suitable homogeneous transesterification catalysts have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,118 and include hydrides, oxides, hydroxides, alkanolates, amides, or salts of alkali metals, i.e., lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium and cesium.
  • Preferred homogeneous transesterification catalysts are hydroxides or alkanolates of potassium or sodium.
  • Other suitable homogeneous transesterification catalysts are alkali metal salts, such as acetates, propionates, butyrates, or carbonates.
  • Suitable catalysts are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,118 and the references mentioned therein, such as EP274953A, U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,201, EP1082A, and EP180387A.
  • Suitable heterogeneous catalysts include ion exchange resins that contain functional groups. Suitable functional groups include tertiary amine groups and quaternary ammonium groups, and also sulphonic acid and carboxylic acid groups. Further suitable catalysts include alkali metal and alkaline earth metal silicates. Suitable catalysts have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,884 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,041.
  • the heterogeneous catalyst may be selected from ion exchange resins comprising a polystyrene matrix and tertiary amine functional groups.
  • the heterogeneous transesterification catalyst to be used in the present invention may be a catalyst comprising an element from Group 4 (such as titanium; for example TiO 2 catalyst), Group 5 (such as vanadium), Group 6 (such as chromium or molybdenum) or Group 12 (such as zinc) of the Periodic Table of the Elements, or tin or lead, or a combination of such elements, such as a combination of zinc with chromium (for example zinc chromite). Said elements may be present in the catalyst as an oxide, such as zinc oxide.
  • the transesterification catalyst to be used in the present invention may be a heterogeneous catalyst comprising zinc.
  • the transesterification catalyst to be added in the present invention may be one of many suitable homogeneous and heterogeneous transesterification catalysts that are known to catalyze the formation of diphenyl carbonate from a dialkyl carbonate and phenol. More specifically, the transesterification catalyst is a titanium containing catalyst. Preferably, the titanium in said titanium containing catalyst has an oxidation state of IV. Further, said titanium may be bonded to one or more, preferably four, alkoxide groups, such as ethoxide groups, and/or aryloxide groups, such as phenoxide groups.
  • An example of a suitable homogeneous transesterification catalyst is titanium(IV) 2-ethylhexyloxide (Ti(OC 8 H 17 ) 4 ).
  • the above-mentioned titanium containing catalyst may be a dimer or polymer containing 2 or more titanium atoms, wherein titanium atoms may be bonded to each other via a carbonate bridge of formula —O(C ⁇ O)O— or via an oxygen bridge of formula —O—. Still further, said titanium containing catalyst may additionally contain one or more silicon atoms wherein the titanium and silicon atoms are bonded to each other via an oxygen bridge of formula —O—.
  • the transesterification catalyst to be added in the present invention such as the above-mentioned titanium containing catalyst, is present in a stream containing the aryl group containing ester that is to be reacted with the alkanol impurity in the present process.
  • said transesterification catalyst and said aryl group containing ester do not have be added separately for reaction with the alkanol impurity in the present process.
  • such stream containing both said transesterification catalyst, such as the above-mentioned titanium containing catalyst, and said aryl group containing ester, comprising for example DPC may originate from a process for producing diphenyl carbonate from a dialkyl carbonate and phenol and/or purifying crude DPC, and may additionally contain heavy by-products. Even though part of such a stream can be recycled so that catalyst can be reused and DPC can be recovered, part of said stream has to be bled from the production process and disposed to prevent build-up of said heavy by-products.
  • the stream containing the dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity may advantageously be contacted with a stream (for example a bleed stream) originating from a process for producing diphenyl carbonate from a dialkyl carbonate and phenol and/or purifying crude diphenyl carbonate, the latter stream containing a catalyst, preferably a titanium containing transesterification catalyst such as those titanium containing catalysts as described above, and an aryl group containing ester, comprising preferably diphenyl carbonate and optionally one or more derivatives of diphenyl carbonate, comprising preferably phenyl salicylate and optionally one or more derivatives of phenyl salicylate, such as the phenyl salicylate derivatives as described above.
  • a catalyst preferably a titanium containing transesterification catalyst such as those titanium containing catalysts as described above
  • an aryl group containing ester comprising preferably diphenyl carbonate and optionally one or more derivatives of diphenyl carbonate
  • both said aryl group containing ester and said catalyst are effectively used to remove the alkanol impurity from the dialkyl carbonate, which is further explained below, rather than for example just being bled and disposed of. This leads to an improved efficiency of the overall, integrated process.
  • transesterification conditions are known in the art and suitably include a temperature from 40 to 200° C., and a pressure from 50 to 5000 kPa (0.5 to 50 bar).
  • the dialkyl carbonate is of formula R 1 OC(O)OR 2 wherein R 1 and R 2 may the same or a different alkyl
  • the aryl group containing ester is a carbonate of formula R 4 O(CO)OR 5 wherein R 4 or R 5 is an aryl group, the other group being an alkyl group, or both R 4 and R 5 are aryl groups
  • the alkanol impurity is an alkanol of formula R 3 OH wherein R 3 may be an alkoxyalkyl group
  • Said PhOC(O)OEtOEt is a mixed carbonate, namely phenyl 2-ethoxyethyl carbonate.
  • EtOEtOC(O)OEtOEt is di(2-ethoxyethyl)carbonate.
  • said alkanol impurity preferentially reacts with diphenyl carbonate rather than with diethyl carbonate.
  • alkanol impurity preferentially reacts with phenyl salicylate rather than with diethyl carbonate. This results in the same advantages as discussed above in connection with the preferential reaction with diphenyl carbonate.
  • the aryl group containing ester of formula (I) is a by-product in the production of diphenyl carbonate from a dialkyl carbonate and phenol, which by-product may thus be advantageously used in the present process to effectively remove another by-product, namely said alkanol impurity which may be formed in the production of a dialkyl carbonate from an alkylene carbonate and an alkanol.
  • said aryl group containing ester of formula (I) advantageously does not have to be disposed of.
  • the stream containing the dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity is a stream containing a dialkyl carbonate that has been produced from reacting an alkanol with an alkylene carbonate
  • the stream usually contains unconverted alkanol reactant in addition to the alkanol impurity.
  • the stream containing the dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity is a stream containing dialkyl carbonate, unconverted alkanol and an alkanol impurity
  • contacting of said stream with an aryl group containing ester and a transesterification catalyst to effect reaction of the alkanol impurity with the aryl group containing ester in accordance with the present invention may be performed before, during or after the step wherein dialkyl carbonate is separated from unconverted alkanol.
  • Separation of the dialkyl carbonate from unconverted alkanol may be effected by means of distillation. Such distillation results in a top stream containing the unconverted alkanol (such as ethanol) and a bottom stream containing the dialkyl carbonate (such as diethyl carbonate), in a case where the unconverted alkanol has been reacted in a preceding step with an alkylene carbonate to produce the dialkyl carbonate and an alkanediol.
  • the unconverted alkanol such as ethanol
  • dialkyl carbonate such as diethyl carbonate
  • the aryl group containing ester and the catalyst may be added to the distillation column itself or to a reactor of which the inlet and outlet are connected to said distillation column.
  • the catalyst may be added together with the aryl group containing ester in one stream that contains both the catalyst and the aryl group containing ester, as described above.
  • said contacting with an aryl group containing ester and transesterification catalyst is performed after said distillation step wherein the dialkyl carbonate is separated from unconverted alkanol.
  • the bottom stream that originates from said (first) distillation step and which contains dialkyl carbonate but no longer unconverted alkanol may be sent to a separate reactor or (directly) to a 2nd distillation column. In case it is sent to a separate reactor, the outlet stream of said reactor may be sent to a 2nd distillation column
  • purified dialkyl carbonate no longer containing the alkanol impurity is separated as a top stream.
  • the aryl group containing ester and transesterification catalyst are added to the 2nd distillation column (or to said separate reactor, where applicable) either separately or in combination.
  • the catalyst is added together with the aryl group containing ester in one stream that contains both the catalyst and the aryl group containing ester, as described above.
  • the bottom stream from said 2nd distillation column contains the catalyst and compounds having a higher boiling point than the dialkyl carbonate, as further illustrated below, and can be disposed of or further purified to recover any valuable component, such as catalyst and/or phenol. This is further explained below.
  • the present invention advantageously results in the removal of an alkanol impurity in dialkyl carbonate streams, which alkanol impurity might have interfered in any subsequent process using said dialkyl carbonate if it would not have been removed. It is recognised that by practising the present invention other impurities may be formed instead.
  • the present process may further comprise the step of removing the impurities resulting from the reaction of the alkanol impurity with the aryl group containing ester, from the stream containing the dialkyl carbonate.
  • pure diethyl carbonate may easily be obtained by means of distillation in view of the boiling point differences between diethyl carbonate and the other compounds. This is indicated in the table below.
  • the present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of a dialkyl carbonate and an alkanediol comprising:
  • step (d) separating unconverted alkanol from the top stream containing unconverted alkanol, dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity obtained in step (b) to obtain a bottom stream containing dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity,
  • step (e) contacting the bottom stream containing dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity obtained in step (d) with an aryl group containing ester and a catalyst to effect reaction of the alkanol impurity with the aryl group containing ester.
  • the present invention further also relates to a process for the preparation of a dialkyl carbonate and an alkanediol comprising:
  • step (d) contacting the top stream containing unconverted alkanol, dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity obtained in step (b) with an aryl group containing ester and a catalyst to effect reaction of the alkanol impurity with the aryl group containing ester, and separating unconverted alkanol to obtain a bottom stream containing dialkyl carbonate.
  • transesterification catalyst and other transesterification conditions are equally applicable to steps (a) of said two processes for the preparation of a dialkyl carbonate and an alkanediol.
  • the present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of a dialkyl carbonate and an alkanediol comprising:
  • step (i) reacting an alkylene carbonate and an alkanol in the presence of a transesterification catalyst in a distillation column, preferably a reactive distillation column, to obtain a top stream containing unconverted alkanol, dialkyl carbonate and an alkanol impurity and a bottom stream containing alkanediol and any unconverted alkylene carbonate; (ii) recovering the alkanediol; and (iii) separating unconverted alkanol from the top stream containing unconverted alkanol, dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity obtained in step (i) to obtain a bottom stream containing dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity, which process further comprises (iv) contacting the bottom stream containing dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity obtained in step (iii) with an aryl group containing ester and a catalyst to effect reaction of the alkanol impurity with the aryl
  • the present invention further also relates to a process for the preparation of a dialkyl carbonate and an alkanediol comprising:
  • step (i) reacting an alkylene carbonate and an alkanol in the presence of a transesterification catalyst in a distillation column, preferably a reactive distillation column, to obtain a top stream containing unconverted alkanol, dialkyl carbonate and an alkanol impurity and a bottom stream containing alkanediol and any unconverted alkylene carbonate; (ii) recovering the alkanediol; and (iii) contacting the top stream containing unconverted alkanol, dialkyl carbonate and the alkanol impurity obtained in step (i) with an aryl group containing ester and a catalyst to effect reaction of the alkanol impurity with the aryl group containing ester, and separating unconverted alkanol to obtain a bottom stream containing dialkyl carbonate.
  • a transesterification catalyst in a distillation column, preferably a reactive distillation column
  • transesterification catalyst and other transesterification conditions are equally applicable to steps (i) of said two processes for the preparation of a dialkyl carbonate and an alkanediol.
  • the present invention relates to a process for making a diaryl carbonate, comprising contacting a stream containing a dialkyl carbonate and an alkanol impurity with an aryl group containing ester and a catalyst to effect reaction of the alkanol impurity with the aryl group containing ester in accordance with any one of the above-described processes, and then contacting, in the presence of a transesterification catalyst, an aryl alcohol with the stream containing the dialkyl carbonate.
  • said diaryl carbonate is diphenyl carbonate and said aryl alcohol is phenol.
  • transesterification catalyst and other transesterification conditions are equally applicable to said process for making a diaryl carbonate.
  • Transesterification experiments were performed by contacting diethyl carbonate (DEC) and 2-ethoxyethanol (ethyl oxitol) with either only catalyst (Reference Example) or with both catalyst and diphenyl carbonate (DPC; Examples 1 and 2) or phenyl salicylate (Example 3).
  • the catalyst used was a commercially available heterogeneous catalyst comprising zinc, namely ZN-0312 T 1 ⁇ 8 (HT) catalyst supplied by BASF, which is a mixture of zinc oxide (about 65 wt. %) and zinc chromite (Zn.Cr 2 O 3 ; about 35 wt. %).
  • the reactions were performed in a 100 ml batch autoclave reactor equipped with a magnetic stirrer. To remove air and moisture, the filled reactor was purged three times with a stream of dry nitrogen before starting each of the experiments.
  • Examples 4 and 5 were carried out in a similar way as Examples 1 and 2, with the proviso that the catalysts used were different.
  • the catalysts used in Examples 4 and 5 were a heterogeneous titanium oxide (TiO 2 anatase) catalyst and a homogeneous titanium(IV) 2-ethylhexyloxide (Ti(OC 8 H 17 ) 4 ) catalyst, respectively.
  • Example 6 The experiment of Example 6 was carried out in a similar way as Examples 1 and 2, with the proviso that a heavy carbonate fraction was used.
  • Said heavy carbonate fraction was mainly comprised of DPC.
  • the heavy carbonate fraction contained 0.4 mmole of titanium (Ti). The specific form of the titanium species as contained in the heavy carbonate fraction is unknown.
  • the titanium species as contained in said heavy carbonate fraction originated from the catalyst used in the preceding preparation of DPC from DEC and phenol.
  • Said preparation involved reacting phenol and DEC in a first reactive distillation column in the presence of a titanium containing transesterification catalyst and separating by withdrawing a bottom stream containing DPC product (and its isomers), intermediate product ethyl phenyl carbonate, heavy impurities, a portion of unreacted phenol, a portion of unreacted DEC and traces of ethanol.
  • said bottom fraction was concentrated by removing phenol, DEC, ethanol and other light contaminants over the top of the column, and further reaction into DPC took place in said second column.
  • the DPC containing bottom fraction from said second reactive distillation column was subjected to further distillation, wherein the main portion of the DPC was overheaded via the top stream from said column and the bottom stream therefrom contained the remaining DPC and isomers of DPC (such as phenyl salicylate) as well as heavy impurities (including 2-EPPC and 4-EPPC as mentioned above) and titanium species as mentioned above.
  • the heavy carbonate fraction that was used in Example 6 was taken from the latter bottom stream.
  • DEC also reacted with ethyl oxitol. This is not problematic as generally the amount of contaminants is only relatively small so that not much DEC would be lost.
  • the amount of the ethyl oxitol contaminant was set at a value in the range of from 2.9 to 4.4 wt. %.
  • the reaction of said ethyl oxitol with DEC results in a product (i.e. ethyl 2-ethoxyethyl carbonate (EEC)), that can also be easily separated from DEC by means of distillation. Thus this also results in the removal of the ethyl oxitol from DEC.
  • EEC ethyl 2-ethoxyethyl carbonate
  • Examples 1-4 it appears from the table that despite the presence of a relatively large amount of DEC, no or only a relatively small amount of EEC was formed by reaction of DEC with ethyl oxitol, so that no or not much DEC was lost.
  • ethyl oxitol reaction product was phenyl 2-ethoxyethyl carbonate (Examples 1, 2 and 4) or 2-ethoxyethyl salicylate (Example 3).
  • the results for the Reference Example show that EEC is indeed formed in the absence of DPC and phenyl salicylate.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
  • Low-Molecular Organic Synthesis Reactions Using Catalysts (AREA)
US13/390,124 2009-08-12 2010-08-10 Process for removing an alkanol impurity from a dialkyl carbonate stream Active 2030-11-29 US8907116B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP09167737 2009-08-12
EP09167737.7 2009-08-12
EP09167737 2009-08-12
PCT/EP2010/061587 WO2011018448A1 (en) 2009-08-12 2010-08-10 Process for removing an alkanol impurity from a dialkyl carbonate stream

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20120226065A1 US20120226065A1 (en) 2012-09-06
US8907116B2 true US8907116B2 (en) 2014-12-09

Family

ID=41327710

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/390,124 Active 2030-11-29 US8907116B2 (en) 2009-08-12 2010-08-10 Process for removing an alkanol impurity from a dialkyl carbonate stream

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US8907116B2 (ja)
EP (1) EP2464620B1 (ja)
JP (1) JP5596147B2 (ja)
CN (1) CN102471223B (ja)
ES (1) ES2437130T3 (ja)
SG (1) SG178263A1 (ja)
TW (1) TWI511953B (ja)
WO (1) WO2011018448A1 (ja)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2711353B1 (en) 2012-09-20 2018-10-31 SABIC Global Technologies B.V. Process for the continuous manufacture of aryl alkyl carbonate and diaryl carbonate using vapor recompression
EP3898571B1 (en) * 2018-12-18 2024-01-03 Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. Process for preparing dialkyl carbonate and alkanediol

Citations (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3642858A (en) 1969-02-12 1972-02-15 Dow Chemical Co Carbonate synthesis from alkylene carbonates
US3803201A (en) 1971-02-22 1974-04-09 Dow Chemical Co Synthesis of dimethyl carbonate
US4062884A (en) 1975-04-09 1977-12-13 Anic, S.P.A. Process for the preparation of dialkylcarbonates
EP0001082A1 (de) 1977-09-07 1979-03-21 Bayer Ag Verfahren zur Herstellung von Dialkylcarbonaten
US4508927A (en) 1983-08-02 1985-04-02 The Halcon Sd Group, Inc. Preparation of glycols from ethylene oxide
EP0180387A2 (en) 1984-10-25 1986-05-07 Scientific Design Company Inc. Process for preparing alkylene oxides from alkylene carbonates and alkylene carbonates from alkylene oxides
US4691041A (en) 1986-01-03 1987-09-01 Texaco Inc. Process for production of ethylene glycol and dimethyl carbonate
EP0274953A1 (fr) 1986-12-23 1988-07-20 Societe Francaise D'organo-Synthese Procédé de préparation de carbonates organiques par transesterification
US5292917A (en) 1991-02-26 1994-03-08 Ube Industries, Ltd. Process for purifying dimethyl carbonate
US5359118A (en) 1992-05-15 1994-10-25 Bayer Aktiengesellschaft Process for the continuous preparation of dialkyl carbonates
EP0658536A1 (de) 1993-12-15 1995-06-21 Bayer Ag Verfahren zur Abtrennung von Methanol aus einem Gemisch von Dimethylcarbonat und Methanol
US5508442A (en) 1993-06-07 1996-04-16 Bayer Aktiengesellschaft Reactor and continuous process to be carried out therewith for the preparation of ethylene glycol carbonate and propylene glycol carbonate
JP2002371037A (ja) 2001-06-12 2002-12-26 Mitsubishi Chemicals Corp 高純度ジメチルカーボネートの製造方法
JP2003300917A (ja) 2002-04-11 2003-10-21 Mitsubishi Chemicals Corp ジメチルカーボネート及びエチレングリコールの製造方法
WO2004113264A2 (en) * 2003-06-19 2004-12-29 General Electric Company Method and apparatus for waste stream recovery
JP2006069997A (ja) 2004-09-06 2006-03-16 Nippon Polyurethane Ind Co Ltd 高純度ジアルキルカーボネートの製造方法
CN1809624A (zh) 2003-06-18 2006-07-26 催化蒸馏技术公司 使用选定石脑油料流的改进加氢脱硫处理法
EP1760059A1 (en) 2004-06-17 2007-03-07 Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation Process for producing dialkyl carbonate and diol

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2003238487A (ja) * 2002-02-20 2003-08-27 Mitsubishi Chemicals Corp 炭酸エステルの製造方法
EA010425B1 (ru) * 2004-10-14 2008-08-29 Асахи Касеи Кемикалз Корпорейшн Способ получения диарилкарбоната высокой чистоты
KR20080104197A (ko) * 2004-10-22 2008-12-01 아사히 가세이 케미칼즈 가부시키가이샤 고순도 디아릴카보네이트의 공업적 제조 방법
TWI378087B (en) * 2006-02-22 2012-12-01 Shell Int Research Process for the preparation of an alkanediol and a dialkyl carbonate
US8779180B2 (en) * 2008-10-20 2014-07-15 Shell Oil Company Process for removing an alkanol impurity from an organic carbonate stream

Patent Citations (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3642858A (en) 1969-02-12 1972-02-15 Dow Chemical Co Carbonate synthesis from alkylene carbonates
US3803201A (en) 1971-02-22 1974-04-09 Dow Chemical Co Synthesis of dimethyl carbonate
US4062884A (en) 1975-04-09 1977-12-13 Anic, S.P.A. Process for the preparation of dialkylcarbonates
EP0001082A1 (de) 1977-09-07 1979-03-21 Bayer Ag Verfahren zur Herstellung von Dialkylcarbonaten
US4508927A (en) 1983-08-02 1985-04-02 The Halcon Sd Group, Inc. Preparation of glycols from ethylene oxide
EP0180387A2 (en) 1984-10-25 1986-05-07 Scientific Design Company Inc. Process for preparing alkylene oxides from alkylene carbonates and alkylene carbonates from alkylene oxides
US4691041A (en) 1986-01-03 1987-09-01 Texaco Inc. Process for production of ethylene glycol and dimethyl carbonate
EP0274953A1 (fr) 1986-12-23 1988-07-20 Societe Francaise D'organo-Synthese Procédé de préparation de carbonates organiques par transesterification
US5292917A (en) 1991-02-26 1994-03-08 Ube Industries, Ltd. Process for purifying dimethyl carbonate
US5359118A (en) 1992-05-15 1994-10-25 Bayer Aktiengesellschaft Process for the continuous preparation of dialkyl carbonates
US5508442A (en) 1993-06-07 1996-04-16 Bayer Aktiengesellschaft Reactor and continuous process to be carried out therewith for the preparation of ethylene glycol carbonate and propylene glycol carbonate
EP0658536A1 (de) 1993-12-15 1995-06-21 Bayer Ag Verfahren zur Abtrennung von Methanol aus einem Gemisch von Dimethylcarbonat und Methanol
JP2002371037A (ja) 2001-06-12 2002-12-26 Mitsubishi Chemicals Corp 高純度ジメチルカーボネートの製造方法
JP2003300917A (ja) 2002-04-11 2003-10-21 Mitsubishi Chemicals Corp ジメチルカーボネート及びエチレングリコールの製造方法
CN1809624A (zh) 2003-06-18 2006-07-26 催化蒸馏技术公司 使用选定石脑油料流的改进加氢脱硫处理法
WO2004113264A2 (en) * 2003-06-19 2004-12-29 General Electric Company Method and apparatus for waste stream recovery
US20050010063A1 (en) 2003-06-19 2005-01-13 General Electric Company Method and apparatus for waste stream recovery
US20060194978A1 (en) 2003-06-19 2006-08-31 General Electric Company Method and apparatus for waste stream recovery
EP1760059A1 (en) 2004-06-17 2007-03-07 Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation Process for producing dialkyl carbonate and diol
JP2006069997A (ja) 2004-09-06 2006-03-16 Nippon Polyurethane Ind Co Ltd 高純度ジアルキルカーボネートの製造方法

Non-Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
Chinese Office Action issued Sep. 30, 2013 by State Intellectual Property Office for Ref. No. TS2392 CHNP, Chinese Patent Application No. 201080035736.2.
Knifton, J. F. et al., Ethylene Glycol-Dimethyl Carbonate Cogeneration, Journal of Molecular Catalysis, vol. 67 (1991) pp. 389-399.
Machine translation of JP 2003-300917, obtained from , Accessed Feb. 23, 2014. *
Machine translation of JP 2003-300917, obtained from <http://worldwide.espacenet.com/>, Accessed Feb. 23, 2014. *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2011018448A1 (en) 2011-02-17
CN102471223B (zh) 2015-03-25
EP2464620A1 (en) 2012-06-20
JP2013501748A (ja) 2013-01-17
ES2437130T3 (es) 2014-01-09
TW201113252A (en) 2011-04-16
SG178263A1 (en) 2012-03-29
CN102471223A (zh) 2012-05-23
JP5596147B2 (ja) 2014-09-24
TWI511953B (zh) 2015-12-11
US20120226065A1 (en) 2012-09-06
EP2464620B1 (en) 2013-10-02

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7732630B2 (en) Process for the preparation of an alkanediol and a dialkyl carbonate
US8975432B2 (en) Process for preparing alkanediol and dialkyl carbonate
TWI412515B (zh) 製備烷二醇及碳酸二烷酯之方法
US9096514B2 (en) Process for removing an alkanol impurity from an organic carbonate stream
EP1994018B1 (en) Process for the production of alkylene carbonate and use of alkylene carbonate thus produced in the manufacture of an alkane diol and a dialkyl carbonate
US8907116B2 (en) Process for removing an alkanol impurity from a dialkyl carbonate stream
WO2010063694A1 (en) Process for removing an alkanol impurity from an organic carbonate stream
CN114555553B (zh) 用于制备碳酸二烷基酯和链烷二醇的方法
EP3831805A1 (en) Process for the preparation of a dialkyl carbonate and an alkanediol
WO2021110627A1 (en) Process for removing an ether alkanol impurity from an organic carbonate stream

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: SHELL OIL COMPANY, TEXAS

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:ALLAIS, CYRILLE PAUL;VAPORCIYAN, GARO GARBIS;SIGNING DATES FROM 20120306 TO 20120419;REEL/FRAME:028155/0768

STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 4TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1551)

Year of fee payment: 4

AS Assignment

Owner name: SHELL USA, INC., TEXAS

Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:SHELL OIL COMPANY;REEL/FRAME:059694/0819

Effective date: 20220301

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 8TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1552); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

Year of fee payment: 8